A Time of Thanks
“Thank You” or “Thanks” has become a part of our dialogue and interaction with others. Most of us probably remember being told as a child or telling our children “Say thank you!” The words themselves have become a form of etiquette and appropriateness; and there lies a problem. When anything becomes simply something we do out of habit, expectation or appropriateness it loses something. I remember a professor of mine handing out a big exam we were all dreading. As he passed them out people repeatedly said “Thank you”. He stopped, laughed and said “You’re all saying thank you as I hand you this exam, but I’m not sure you really mean it!” We laughed because it was true. Faith can become a habit or an expectation in our lives. Going to church and saying our prayers can become something we do out of ritual instead of true devotion. I was reading Revelation the other day and came upon the words of Jesus spoken to the church of Laodicia. I had read them before but in the moment ...